Article By: Emma H.There used to be strange conspiracies of carnivorous plants eating humans. In fact there have been many movies and books written about these strange creatures. One of them was an extremely popular comedy in the 1960s, The Little Shop of Horrors. Movies like these have now become reality as a new breed of carnivorous plants have been found in Africa. These plants have been reported to eat humans and have a rare craving for their blood. They are a dangerous and unknown species. Scientists are trying to learn more about these strange creatures before they disturb even more helpless environments. They can eat large animals, but they have a specific craving for human blood. If not handled appropriately, we can increase the reproduction rate of this rare species, resulting in extreme consequences.

Name- Hemo-Arbuscula
Location- They inhabit various parts of South Africa around or near bogs or rocky areas. These are the places where nutrients in the soil are lacking, therefor these plants have to find another source of food to survive.

Description- The Hemo-Arbuscula is a carnivorous plant that inhabits South Africa. At first, it just seemed like a normal species, but after a fatal report of a missing person and a trail leading to a breed of the Hemo-Arbuscula, scientists discovered that the Hemo-Arbuscula is a blood thirsty plant. In general cases, carnivorous plants eat small insects (mosquito larvae and tiny fish) but can also be known to eat larger animals if they are sick or on the verge of dying, such as rats, frogs, and birds. The Hemo-Arbuscula seems to be different, and needs human blood to survive, therefor is able to eat a much larger species. These plants are huge most of the time they are only 6 feet in diameter but, on rare occasions, they can measure up to 7-8 feet in diameter. Sometimes the Hemo-Arbuscula can be over 5 feet tall. This size makes it extremely unusual. Like the Venus Fly Trap, the Hemo-Arbuscula is a snap trap, where the leaves of the plant snap shut to create a plant prison.
Prey- The Hemo-Arbuscula has a keen taste for human blood. It can also eat small or large mammals, birds, insects, and reptiles. Unlike other plants, they do not go through photosynthesis. Because of their geographic location (near bogs and rocky areas) soil there is lacking nutrients. Because of this, the Hemo-Arbuscula and other carnivorous plants have to get the nutrients they need in order to survive by tapping and eating animals, insects, and in the Hemo-Arbuscula's case, humans.

How It Traps Food‍-‍The Hemo-Arbuscula is an active type of trap. This is the most common type of carnivorous plants. They move in order to trap their prey. First though, they have to be able to lure there prey to the trap. The Hemo-Arbuscula tempts its prey with a sweet sugar you cant find anywhere else. This sugar inside the Hemo-Arbuscula is so abundant because of its vast size, its enough to feel an entire village for 3 months. Natives of South Africa use the sugar as a food source, but getting it is a dangerous game which can often result in the Hemo-Arbuscula winning the battle. Once the food source is close in range, the Hemo-Arbuscula uses its large snap trap to shut. Once a food source is trapped, the Hemo-Arbuscula uses different digestive enzymes to break down its food source to become digestible.

Although the Hemo-Arbuscula may seem like a scary and dangerous plant, we should not fear. They are only found in bogs in South Africa and can barely be found anywhere else. Make sure if you ever take a trip to South Africa to stay away from any plants that are over 5 feet long.

There was a pile of human bones found by hikers and scientists in Southern Africa in 2009. All signs led to the Hemo-Arbuscula.

The video is one of a Venus Fly Trap in Action. Like the Hemo-Arbuscula the Venus Fly Trap is an active snap trap. Scientists have tried to get actual video footage and pictures of the Hemo-Arbuscula but it has become too dangerous. No lives should be at risk to learn more about this creature.